GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics)– Senior forward Riese Gaber has been named the 2023-24 University of North Dakota hockey captain in a vote by his peers, the program announced on Friday. Joining him in the leadership group are graduate student forward Carson Albrecht, junior forward Louis Jamernik V, fifth year defenseman Keaton Pehrson and junior forward Jake Schmaltz, who will all don the “A” on their sweaters for the first time in a North Dakota uniform.
Gaber, who served as an assistant captain in 2022-23, returns after one of the best single-season scoring seasons in recent memory for UND, becoming the first player since Shane Gersich in 2016-17 and only the fourth in the last decade to eclipse the 20-goal mark to pace the team. The junior potted points in 25 of the 39 games, leading the team with 20 goals and finishing second with 37 points. He struck 11 times on the power play to rank tied for fourth in the nation and earn All-NCHC Second Team honors.
The Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, native finished among the top-20 in the nation and top-5 among NCHC skaters for goals scored to be named as a Hobey Baker Award nominee for the second straight year. The assistant captain also became the first UND player since Rhett Gardner on Nov. 2, 2018 to record a hat trick when he struck for a trio of goals and a career-high four points in an 8-0 win at Miami.
Gaber finished NCHC play with 23 points in 24 league games and has 95 points in 102 career games entering his senior campaign.
Albrecht returns for his fifth season in 2023-24 after potting a career-best three goals while adding a trio of assists last season. The Martensville, Saskatchewan, native, also finished with a plus-4 rating and is a four-time member of the NCHC All-Academic Team.
Over his career, UND is 11-1 when Albrecht registers at least a point, and has 12 points in 69 games.
Jamernik V has been a staple in the lineup for UND over his career, appearing in 95 of the possible 97 games during his time. He was one of only six players to appear in all 39 contests in 2022-23, scoring three goals and adding 11 assists for 14 points. The Calgary, Alberta, native was also second on the team with 361 faceoff victories while also blocking 18 shots.
In 95 career games, Jamernik V has 37 points entering his senior season. He is a two-time AHCA Academic All-America Scholar selection and twice chosen to the NCHC All-Academic Team.
Pehrson is set to join North Dakota in 2023-24 for his final year of eligibility after spending the previous four at Michigan. While with the Wolverines, Pehrson appeared in 127 games and helped the program advance to three straight NCAA Tournaments, including two straight NCAA Frozen Four appearances.
In those four years, the Lakeville, Minn., native scored one goal and added 26 assists for 27 points, capped off by a career-high 11 helpers in 2022-23. Pehrson will be only the fourth first-year player in program history to earn a letter, joining Connor Ford (2021-22), Ernest Dyda (1961-62) and Bob Murray (1948-49).
Schmaltz once again established himself as one of the top two-way centers in the NCHC last season, striking for five goals and adding seven assists for 12 points while also blocking 21 shots. The McFarland, Wis., native was dominant in the dot, leading the team and ranking 16th in the nation with 397 faceoff wins while his 56.1 winning percentage was among the top-20 in the nation and top-5 of the NCHC among qualified centers.
Over his career, Schmaltz has scored 13 goals and dished out 23 assists for 36 points in 73 games. He is also a two-time NCHC All-Academic Team and NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete selection.
